Boukyaku
by Ziggurat Rolsovitch
Summary: AU: Living in Rukongai, a group of kids are just trying to survive. While they don't have much, they do have friendship, but is it enough? Can they survive together, or will they be torn apart by the greed and wrath of a mad man? IchiRuki and KaHime?
1. Hollow Son

Disclaimer: Don't own this show if I did… well… let's not go into that. Anyway… as I was saying… I don't own this show.

A/N This is an idea that I dreamed up, I do not know if there is a 54th, but there probably is. Anways... the title is the Japanese word for Oblivion. I have also recently found out hollow Ichigo's name. Yes, yes I did. If you watch Bleach on a television with closed captioning they call him "_Kamen_" So... I've gone through and changed his name real quick, since this is as close to canon as it's gonna get. I also was not happy at all with the way the first chapters were, so I added extra content and a deleted scene that I originally wasn't going to have in here, but then rewrote the scene and it turned out much better.

XxXxX

Prologue:

In the small house in, the 54th district in the East Rukongai. A squad from the medical division was currently rushing into the town from the Seireitei. Sent from their Captain as a favor to a powerful former Soul Reaper.

It had seemed they made it just in time.

"Alright Mrs. Kurosaki… just one more push!" The medic told her. The sound of crying filled the room and the medic smiled brightly. "Your oldest is a boy, Mrs. Kurosaki."

Masaki took looked at her first soon as her husband held him for the first time. "Oh, he's so beautiful, Isshin." She winced in pain. "Ichigo… we'll name him Ichigo."

"Aright… just one… more… push…" The medic told her, the medical smiled in triumph, but there were no new cried. The man gasped audibly and his assistant screamed and dropped the tray she was holding.

"What is it!" Isshin asked quickly, but couldn't help gasping as well. Masaki struggled to see what was going on, but it regretted it when she noticed snow-white hair.

"Isshin-san…" The medic said slowly. "Your son… has been infected by a hollow…"

"How? How can this be?" Isshin asked, before cradling his first-born closer. "You can't do it… you can't…"

"We don't need to take Ichigo… but… this one… we can't let him live…"

"No!" Masaki screamed and it forced two assistants to hold her down.

"I'm sorry." The medic replied and started to walk away with the baby, both parents screaming for their son, unable to do a thing. The medic stopped when he saw the captain before him. "Aizen-teichou!"

"What is the meaning of all this?" Aizen asked, glancing around the room at all the frozen medics.

"Aizen-teichou… this child has gone through hollowfication. He must be exterminated." The man replied quickly.

"Aizen… please… help me." Isshin begged, knowing that to ask anything of this man would to be to sell his soul to the devil, but… he had to protect his family. Aizen smiled a little.

"Of course I'll help you, Isshin. For the first year… you may take care of him, but after… I will personally take care of this child." Aizen said. Ichigo started crying even louder as Aizen handed his brother away to his mother and his father shook with anger.

"Damn you, Aizen!" He shouted. Knowing there was nothing he could do to save his son.

XxXxX

TBC...

Thanks for reading, leave a review and God Bless.


	2. The Escape

Disclaimer: I don't own this! I just wanted to borrow myself a interesting hollow with beautiful eyes.

A/N The next chapter! Tada!

XxXxX

10 years later…

"Happy birthday Ichigo!" Isshin and Masaki said as their son blew out the candles on his cake. Kurosaki Ichigo was ten years old today, but he was not particularly excited. He never really did get too over excited about things.

"Thanks." Ichigo told them, he was grateful for their effort. Times were hard lately and regardless of being young, he knew it.

"Today is your day. Enjoy it and don't worry about anything." His mother said, cutting a slice of cake and setting it in front of him. "You worry too much."

"You're mother is right." Isshin said, smiling gently. "Son… what's bothering you? You know you can talk to us."

"I know." Ichigo said. "It's just… I can't explain it, but… it feels like something is missing."

Isshin and Masaki glanced at one another, before they heard a knock on the door. "Ah, must be the guest." Isshin stated, he slid the door open and Ichigo saw Orihime and her brother, she seemed enthusiastic as ever.

"Kurosaki-kun! I got you a super special present!" She stated, almost tripping in her excitement if not for her brother catching the back of her kimono and setting her up straight with a stern, but playful 'be careful' in his best big brother tone.

"What's that Inoue-san?" Ichigo asked as she ran up to him and handed him the box she had been cradling in her arms. He allowed her a smile and opened the box, pulling out a black scarf with an orange K embroidered into it.

"Do you like it? I worked really hard with Onii-sama to make it." Orihime told him, still smiling.

"It's great, Inoue-san. I really do like it." He gave her a brief hug in thanks for the gift.

"Orihime, I'll be going now. I'll pick you up later, iie?" her brother said and she waved as he headed out. Ichigo noticed his parents had disappeared into the next room, so he stood up and headed towards the door quietly.

"Kurosaki-kun?" Orihime started, but he hushed her and she tiptoed up behind him.

"Don't you think we should tell him?" Isshin asked.

"No, it would break his heart. He cannot know. Not today." Masaki replied and Ichigo jerked back as if he had been physically hit.

"I wonder what they're hiding from me…" Ichigo said quietly and Orihime tilted her head in confusion.

"Are we going to be detectives, Kurosaki-kun?" She asked and he turned towards her.

"Yeah, Inoue-san. We're going to be detectives." He stated and she smiled, starting to drift into a daydream, before he set his hands on her shoulders and shook her out of it. "Focus, Inoue. No time for day dreaming."

"Hai, Kurosaki-kun!" She said and saluted.

XxXxX

"Itchi! kni! san! shi! go! Roku!" Gin counted, the young students following his words.

"Why is he falling behind, Aizen?" The head scientist asked, indicating the odd young student.

"Heh, I suppose we must have worked him a little too hard." Aizen replied. "Mayuri… can I ask what your test revealed last night?"

"His powers are growing at an accelerated rate. It's… rather shocking." Mayuri grinned then at his last words. "I'd like to run some more tests."

"Feel free to do whatever you please, as long as he stays alive. Right now, however… I would like a demonstration of progress of my investment if you will." Aizen stated and the scientist nodded, clapping his hands.

"Atsushi! Kamen!" Gin called and he set the boys up across from one another, with his usual grin, he glanced at his leaders and watched as Mayuri nodded again. "Kill!" He ordered and watched his two mindless soldiers go at one another like rabid dogs.

"He's blood thirsty." Aizen said, not at all displeased. "What did you do to him?"

"Prodded at the beast until it broke its leash." Mayuri replied simply, both men stepped aside to avoid the two fighters. Blood splattered across the wall and dripped heavily onto the hardwood floors.

"Any attempts at transformation?" Aizen asked.

"Not yet, but that's why I would like to prod a little more."

"I see." Aizen chuckled. "From the day he was born… I knew he would be my champion. I knew the very second I sensed his reiatsu was that of a hollow."

"Stop!" Gin shouted. "Stop!"

Both men looked over to find their champion had ripped the heart out of his opponent's chest. Panting heavily from the fight the small hollow held the heart, clutched tightly in his hand with blood dripping between his fingers.

Mayuri kicked the dead lifeless foot of the student. "What a waste. Gin… restrain him. I have more tests to run."

Gin caught the hollow by the back of his Kosode and quickly injected him with a blue liquid, before it could fight back.

XxXxX

Ichigo was currently in the attic, searching around in many boxes. Orihime was searching in one far behind him. He sighed and dropped to sit down; he had not found anything at all, nothing. Maybe he was just over reacting.

Suddenly, he heard Orihime gasp. He jumped down off the box he had been sitting on, effectively tipping it over, he sighed deeply.

"What did you find?" Ichigo asked, looking over her shoulder at the picture.

"Kurosaki-kun… you're dad use to have a mullet!" She exclaimed and he frowned, before slapping a hand to his face.

"That's now what we're looking for, Inoue…" He sighed once more. "Do you think I'm over reacting?"

"No, Kurosaki-kun. If you think there is something odd, I believe you." Orihime told him and he smiled, while turning to clean up the box.

"Thanks." He told her and she kneeled to help him, again she picked up another photo and gasped.

"Kurosaki-kun…"

"If it's another picture of my dad with a mullet then I don't-"

"No! Look!" She urged and handed him the photo, his brow furrowed suddenly. "What is that thing?"

"A baby…" He stated, staring at the picture and the startling gold that swirled in a sea of black, which seemed to stare right back. "I think… I think it's a hollow…" He flipped the picture around and looked at the date written along with a name. "Inoue… it's the same as my birth date."

"I don't get it." She said, shifting through more papers.

"Neither do I." He started to dig around some more as well. "Why would my parents have a picture of a hollow with that date written on it?"

"Kurosaki-kun… what if…"

"What if what?" Ichigo asked, keeping his eyes focused on all the papers, before he seemed to realize what she was saying. "Do you think…"

"I don't know…"

"No… there's no way. My… my parents wouldn't lie to me!" He exclaimed, before his eyes grew wide at the paper he noticed. It was a contract; he grabbed it and shook the dust off. What he saw there made him fall backwards, unable to sit there.

"Kurosaki-kun!" Orihime cried worriedly.

"That-that thing… that thing…" He wheezed out. "that thing… is my… twin brother… this is… this is impossible! It is insane! I can't… I can't stay here." He quickly got up and ran down to his room, grabbing a bunch of clothes. Orihime ran in after him, watching him in slight fear.

"Kurosaki-kun… where are you going?"

"I need to leave. I-I can't stay here knowing what they did…"

"You can't runaway." She told him and he shook his head. "Then… I can't let you go all alone."

"Inoue-"

"Please, let me come with you!"

"Orihime!"

"I won't take no for an answer."

He glanced up when he heard voices; they would surly stop him if they found he was trying to leave, so he sighed deeply.

"Let's go then!" He grabbed her hand and his packed bag, before jumping out the window.

XxXxX

Captain Urahara entered the room and paused when he noticed Aizen, he was about to give the man a piece of his mind.

"Aizen, I've come to ask you once more to stop this nonsense." Urahara requested and the man only glanced up at him for a moment, before looking back down at his desk, uninterested.

"Captain Urahara, to what do I owe this… pleasant surprise…" Aizen asked, uncomfortably, scratching something down on his papers.

"You know very well why I'm here. What you do here is an outrage. Even to somebody like me."

"Why don't you calm down? I've done nothing wrong."

"Nothing that I can prove." Urahara replied, causing Aizen to stop and finally stand up to his full height and stand toe to toe with the captain.

"What is it you _think _I'm doing?" Both glanced over when they felt the slight flare of reiatsu; however, Aizen decided to ignore it. "You know very well there is nothing wrong with keeping a hollow, as long as it's kept under control and I assure you it is under control."

"Is it the Kurosaki's?" Urahara asked, glancing at the skittish hollow that was hiding behind a large flowerpot.

"It is." Aizen replied.

"How could you do such a thing?"

"What? I was so kind as to let them keep him for a year and say their goodbyes." Aizen informed, smiling a little at the displeased look on the captain's face. "It's not like it matters. He is dead anyway. You know they wouldn't have been able to contain him."

"That doesn't make it right." Urahara said, voice rising slightly and the hollow peaked out from behind the pot a little more. "What of the other Kurosaki twin?"

"He's very much alive."

"Correct me if I'm wrong… but as I understand it… the child died in the womb, where hollowfication occurred?"

"That is correct." Aizen stated. "He feed off his mother's reiatsu while still in the womb; therefore he is unlike any hollow I've ever seen."

"What is it you plan to do with this child?"

"Why… whatever do you mean? I simply wish to study the child."

Urahara glared at him. "Very well, play your ruse." He stared towards the door, before he paused a second and glanced over his shoulder. "Oh, by the way… I have noticed the missing reiatsu of one of your students… I wonder whatever happened to him." Aizen glared at the man. "Sayonara." Urahara said, disappearing out the door.

As soon as the door closed, Aizen threw a glass at the door. Anger boiled through him as he set his sights on the small-terrified hollow. He grabbed the hollow before it could escape and jerked up the sleeve, injecting blue liquid into the hollow's veins.

The hollow let out a pathetic whimper of pain, while Aizen held onto the hollow with one hand, while preparing another syringe.

"You little beast! I am in control! Not you! What so you think you are doing out here? You know your place! You stay in your cage and don't make me look like a fool!" Just as Aizen was about to inject the next dose, the hollow lashed out and blood splattered onto the floor. "Little bastard!"

The hollow knew it was now or never, he jumped across the floor and ran out the door. Aizen tried to get up and go after him, but he gritted his teeth and held his injured leg. The hollow slashed those sharp claws of his deep into his thigh.

"Mayuri! The hollow is getting away!" Aizen shouted and the scientist quickly came running, bursting out the door after the hollow.

The hollow's mind was racing; he was horrified at what he had done. He had just disobeyed his master's, but if he went back now, he would never have another chance and he would be beaten severely for turning on his master.

His eyes grew wide when he spotted his tamer and tormenter, so he double timed it, bolting into a open swear that led deeper into the ground. The scientist was hot on his tail, he had to hurry and get out of here, he kept running, running and running.

He had hope that he could escape this place; if he did… then… he would never have to be injected with that painful fluid and no more prodding until he snapped and killed.

All hope died when he spotted the gate in front of him, he was cornered.

"There you are… nowhere to go now. Why don't you just come here little hollow…" Mayuri urged, grin set in place as he came closer. No, he would not go back. The hollow's reiatsu flared and Mayuri actually stopped. "What are you doing…?" The hollow charged a cero and shot it at the wall. "No!"

The tunnel collapsed on both the occupants and after the loud explosion, there was nothing but silence and darkness.

XxXxX

TBC...

Thanks for reading, God Bless and leave a review.


	3. Run Aways

Disclaimer: Of course I don't own this.

A/N I... have the next chapter. New and revised for you right here.

XxXxX

Ichigo and Orihime looked up at the large dust cloud coming from the middle of town; they looked at one another for a moment.

"Did you feel that?" Ichigo asked.

"Yes. What a strange reiatsu." Orihime acknowledged, slowly walking along the basin and looking out over the water.

"It's so odd. It felt familiar for some reason I can't explain."

"Oh? Maybe we should check it out then and see?" She suggested, but he shook his head.

"No. It'd be too dangerous, besides… what if it were a hollow?"

"I guess you're right." They stopped and Ichigo kneeled down to find a flashlight since it was getting dark out. "Where are we going to go, Kurosaki-kun?"

"I don't really know, yet." He replied. "But don't you worry, we'll find something."

"Run!" Two kids shouted, running past them, Ichigo looked up to find the angry dog running towards them.

"Holy crap! Run, Inoue!" He shouted and they took off, the problem? They had no idea where they were going.

"Hey! Over here!" One of the kids yelled that had passed them, they offered a hand and helped them over the fence, right as the dog snapped at their heels.

"Thanks." Ichigo said, panting.

"Oh, nice, Rukia! Lead them to our secret hide out!" The boy shouted in irritation.

"It's still secret, Renji!" The girl retorted.

"Not if you tell everybody about it!"

"What else were we suppose to do? Leave them there to get eaten?"

"Yes!"

"Uhm… excuse me…" Ichigo said and they both looked over at him, going silent. "Where are we?"

"What are you two? Lost?" The boy named Renji asked, stepping forward and crossing his arms.

"No, we're running away!" Orihime said, smiling and Ichigo slapped a hand over his face.

"Running away, huh?" Rukia said.

"Running away?" Renji repeated as well.

"What do you say, Renji?" Rukia asked her friend.

"If you too are running away, then you might fit well into our little gang."

"Gang?" Ichigo asked and Orihime tapped a finger against her chin, as if contemplating it. "What type of gang is this?"

"Just a bunch of us kids trying to survive out here on our own is all." Rukia told him and they had to think for a few minutes.

"Rukia, you make us sound like little wimps!" Renji complained.

"You're making us sound like wimps by complain about everything!"

"Is it pretty well hidden?" Ichigo asked, cutting them off. Hit by a sudden thought and Orihime gave him a surprised look.

"The best of the best!" Renji assured, voice full of pride.

"Alright… we'll come with you."

"Good choice." Rukia commented offhandedly, watching the dog that was salivating behind the fence and looking at them like they were fresh steak.

XxXxX

Captain Urahara investigated the scene of the underground explosion, several others were there as well and currently digging and sifting through the mess. It was a miracle nobody that had been on the surface had been seriously injured.

"Any idea what caused it?" Urahara asked, staring at the massive hole in the ground.

"Nobody really has any idea, but there was a massive release of energy." The soul reaper told him and he nodded.

Glancing over, Urahara noticed Aizen hidden amongst the crowd. "Hmm… I see…"

"Captain! We have a body!" A man shouted and others quickly joined him in digging the body out, it had drawn his attention for a second and when he glanced back at the crowd, Aizen was gone. He couldn't prove it, but he _knew _the man had something to do with this.

"Urahara! Is that you?" A voice asked from the crowd and he quickly headed over towards where he'd heard it. He knew something was wrong by the tone.

"Isshin-san? Is something wrong?" Urahara asked quickly, concerned with Isshin's weeping wife and Sora with a very worried expression.

"Ichigo… he… he's run away… with Inoue and we're trying to locate them." He replied to the captain, worry evident in his voice.

"What? Ichigo has run away? What could have caused such a reaction?" Urahara was confused, Ichigo was a good kid. It didn't make sense… unless… his eyes widened.

"We think… we believe he found out about Kamen." All of them were silent for a few moments. He had already suspected such, even before Isshin spoke.

"Captain! We've identified the body!" A man shouted.

"I'll help you." Urahara assured them, before quickly heading over to his men to find what it was they had discovered.

XxXxX

"So! This… is our humble abode." Renji informed the two newcomers. "Go ahead and pick out a place to sleep, get settled in. You two are going to have to work like the rest of us to earn your keep."

"Right." Ichigo said, heading over to a wall to an empty bed and settling down. He noticed Orihime looking around the place carefully. "Inoue… you know you can go home whenever you want… you don't have to tough it out with me."

"Oh, no." Orihime laughed a little, rubbing the back of her heard nervously. "I'm going to stay with you."

"Thanks." He replied, truly appreciative of her reluctance to leave his side. Even if he did fell slightly guilty that she had to live in a junkyard with him.

"So what are you going to do about that hollow thing?" She finally asked after a few moments of silence and he sighed quietly.

"I don't even know if he's still alive or how I would find him. What if he's just another monster like the rest of the hollows?"

"But, Kurosaki-kun… you must be able to sense him. He is your brother after all. I can always sense when Sora-nii-sama is near." She told him and Ichigo was silent again, he looked down at his hands in his lap and thought for a few moments.

"What if he's too far away?" Ichigo asked and she only smiled.

"You'll never know if you never try." She told him simply and Ichigo closed his eyes and focused in silence. His brow furrowed as he tried to focus and find his brother, wherever he was, but he'd never been one for patients. So finally Ichigo threw his hands up in the air.

"It's useless! I don't feel anything. Besides… your brother isn't a hollow." Ichigo muttered, crossing his arms.

XxXxX

The next morning they were up bright and early, learning the trade from Rukia as she taught them all about being sneaky and how to steal food without being caught. And… after Orihime saying that stealing was wrong, Rukia had to explain they only did it to survive, other wise they would all be dead. Orihime quickly changed her views.

"So… do you think you've got it all?" Rukia asked the two and they both nodded.

"Renji!" A boy yelled, charging into the building. "We found something! Come quick!"

"Right!" Renji grabbed a homemade spear from the wall and followed he other boy, Rukia took off after him and Ichigo and Orihime followed suit.

When they arrived at the scene they found several kids surround the collapsed area of the swear, but the collapse wasn't what they were really interested in. Ichigo pushed past a few of them to catch sight of whatever it was they were looking at.

"Come on! It's dead, stop poking it." Ichigo heard Renji say as he inched closer and finally spotted what they were looking at. His jaw dropped, what the hell? Orihime gasped and gripped his arm tightly from behind. He didn't know what to think or how to feel.

"Leave it alone!" Rukia finally cut in, while Renji kneeled besides the body and poked it once more, standing and sniffing once, before setting his hands on his hips.

"Yup, it's dead." Renji informed.

"Should we burry it?" A boy asked and Rukia tossed her hands in the air.

"It's not dead! Can't you feel it's reiatsu?" She complained loudly.

"Well… should we kill it then?" The boy asked again and both Renji and Rukia glanced at the him.

"I don't know, do you wanna kill it?" Renji asked Rukia and she sighed.

"It is a hollow…"

Ichigo finally brought himself to snap out of his shock. "Wait!" Everyone looked at him in shock as he quickly stepped out and rolled the hollow onto it's back, staring at it's face, everyone else seemed to be in shock as well.

"Kurosaki-kun! You found your brother!" Orihime shouted in surprise and everybody froze completely this time. Ichigo mentally facepalmed at her words, _yes Inoue… state the obvious. _He really wished she hadn't said that in front of everyone, because now he was getting looks.

"What the hell is going on here!" Renji asked, prepared to kill the hollow in a second with his weapon raised up high.

"Can… can we talk about this… in private?" Ichigo requested

"Alright, shows over, everyone get outta here! Right now!" Renji shooed the others, sending them back to base, before he and Rukia stood in front of Ichigo, expecting answers.

"This thing…" He started shakily. Still finding it hard to believe himself. "like Inoue said… is my brother… see… that's why I ran away, because… my parents… they got rid of him. But I didn't know he was alive! Please… don't kill him."

"Ichigo… this thing is a hollow…" Rukia tried to persuade him. "We can't let it run free."

"Don't talk about him like that, he's not an 'it' he's my brother!" Ichigo said and both Renji and Rukia gave him odd looks.

"Look here, Ichigo… that thing needs to die." Renji told him and Ichigo shook his head.

"What if it were your brother?" Orihime cut in and there was silence.

"I don't have a brother." Renji replied, scratching at his nose like he didn't care, but Rukia was silent. She had always been more understanding then her friend. She didn't have a brother, but she understood Ichigo's feelings.

"But if you did… would you let somebody kill him, just because he were a hollow?" She asked and this time they were both silent. They all looked at the hollow's unconscious body in silence, with his pure white form and relaxed face as if he were sleeping… he almost looked like an angel.

"She's right." Rukia said softly. "Let's give him a chance, Renji."

At her words Renji growled. "Fine! But I don't have to like it!"

XxXxX

TBC...

Thanks for reading, leave a review and God Bless.


	4. All The Lovely Butterflies

Disclaimer: I do not own this show. Only the order of words that I put together.

A/N And... here we are. Rewritten and improved.

XxXxX

Light was behind his eyes, he had thought he was dead. Golden eyes opened suddenly and he saw the child with the spear standing over him. The small hollow jerked away and slammed his back into the wal and growled at the kid, the kid screamed in horror and ducked out of the room, slamming the door shut behind him and yelling.

"Renji! It's awake! It's feral! Like a moose!" A few minutes later Ichigo, Renji, Rukia and Orihime entered the room and Ichigo held his hands up.

"Easy…" Ichigo said, stepping close to the hollow pressed with it's back against the wall, sharpened canines glinting in the light from the lamp to it's left. "Hey, calm down. I… I'm your brother!"

There was silence and the hollow stopped to tilt it's head to the side. The growling had stopped finally and Ichigo got a little closer.

"Ichigo… be careful." Rukia warned in a serious tone.

"Here, come here… it's alright. I'm your brother. I'm Ichigo." He said gently and as he reached out a hand, the hollow seemed to sniff it, before it recoiled and scratched his hand. Ichigo yelped in pain and held his hand close to his body.

Renji quickly stepped forwards with his spear, but Rukia stopped him by grabbing his shoulder. The hollow (while clearly nervous about the sudden movement) was just sitting there, before it sniffed the blood on it's hand and seemed to recognize something in it. Something that seemed to calm it.

Ichigo once again reached out and set his hand in the hollow's snow-white hair and patted his head gently. The hollow seemed utterly amazed and shocked that Ichigo hadn't hit him.

"I'm your brother." Ichigo said once more and the hollow just sat there in confusion, tilting his head towards the petting hand. It recoiled once more when Orihime walked up behind Ichigo, but it didn't move to attack anybody.

"Hi." Orihime said softly, waving with a smile. The hollow was still cautious about it's surroundings, but it seemed to calm down a little with the soothing presences.

"Ichigo, come here a minute." Rukia urged and the two of them exited the small room quietly. "How's your hand?" She asked first off.

"Huh? Oh…" Ichigo glanced down at the deep cuts in his hand, before shrugging. "Fine. So… can he… can he stay?"

"Only if your promise you can keep him under control… one slip up… and we have no choice, but to kill him. You know how dangerous hollows are." She replied.

"Thank you, Rukia! I'll keep him under control, I promise!" Ichigo yelled happily, a very large smile of excitement on his face.

"But first thing is first…" Rukia opened the box on the wall and pulled out a small roll of bandages, wrapping his hand up carefully. "Those claws have to go."

"Ri-right…" Ichigo said, nodding.

"Renji! Come on, we've got to get back there and let everyone know what's going on." She shouted into the room and Renji came out grumbling about letting the hollow stay, before tossing him nail clippers. He headed back into the room to find Orihime trying to check out the bloodied spot on his brother's shoulder.

"Come on, just let me see. I won't hurt you." Orihime said gently, but the hollow growled and curled into a tighter ball.

"I'll do it," Ichigo said, hiding the nail clippers behind his back as he approached. "Here, Kamen… it's alright, we won't hurt you."

At the sudden moment Ichigo tested out his brother's name, the hollow looked up in surprise at the words, tilting his head as if he didn't exactly understand what was being said to him. Ichigo still remembered the name on the back of the picture, he never thought he'd get to say it out loud.

He kneeled in front of the growling hollow and untied the sash and opened carefully pulled the white uniform off his shoulders, wincing as he carefully prodded the bleeding wound. It caused the hollow to growl once more, although this time it was mixed with a small whimper.

"Who had him?" Orihime wondered as she noticed all the scars and bruises that marred white skin, she quickly got up and grabbed the kit from the other room, before handing some bandages to Ichigo, from there, he cleaned up the bleeding wounds and carefully bandaged them, trying to avoid anymore outbursts, but got an occasional growl when he pressed too hard against sore spots.

Ichigo handed the nail clippers to Orihime, before he pressed a hand over his brother's eyes, much to the hollow's displeasure. She picked up the hollows hand and carefully brushed her fingers along cool skin, before clipping off his first claw.

The hollow jumped at that and started to struggle a little, but Ichigo firmly held him still and told him it was alright. The second nail went and Ichigo had to hold tighter as the hollow got even more agitated. At the next clip… he was panicking.

"Hold still!" Ichigo ordered firmly. "It doesn't hurt, okay?"

"Let him see, Kurosaki-kun… maybe it would help?" Orihime suggested and Ichigo contemplated, before removing his hand from his brother's eyes, the hollow quickly investigated the hand that Orihime was holding and furrowed his brow. "It's okay. See?" She clipped another nail and he seemed a little more then perturbed, before growling at her, baring his pointed canines.

"Stop it." Ichigo scolded. "Why are you getting so upset?"

"He's a hollow… and hollows need their claws to defend themselves." A voice said from the door and they looked up to find Rukia there. "He's probably upset that he won't be able to defend himself. Do you need help?"

"No, we've got it, but thank you, Rukia." Ichigo said and watched as she set down a blanket by the bed and headed out again. "Alright… let's finish this…"

While the hollow had been distracted, seeing Rukia there, he nervously glared and Ichigo nodded at Orihime to continue. She clipped the next claw and golden eyes shot to her again and he growled again, before Ichigo slapped him in the back of the head. It silenced him right away.

All of them stopped when that happened, the hollow was shivering in fear now and Ichigo couldn't stop the guilt he felt. There was some silence, before Orihime quickly finished up on one hand, before moving to the next. The hollow raised the hand that was finished, seeing his black claws were now gone and making a face, but they had no other problems after that.

XxXxX

Over the next few days, Ichigo was growing more and more upset that his brother wouldn't say a word to him. _He couldn't still be mad over his claws could he? _He wondered, while starting at the hollow.

"Come on! Talk to me!" Ichigo said, crossing his arms as he watched the hollow playing with the rice in his bowl, blowing raspberries when he knocked the food around in a flurry. "Are you really still mad?"

"Maybe he can't talk, Kurosaki-kun?" Orihime suggested and he sighed quietly, shaking his head. He didn't know what to do anymore. He really didn't.

"I don't see why not… I don't know… maybe you're right, Inoue." Again Ichigo sighed. "Does he even understand a word I say to him, I wonder."

"He must understand a little." She replied, watching the hollow stick his blue tongue out in excitement as he played with his food.

"I wonder what they did to him." Finally Ichigo got up, pausing when the hollow got up behind him, he gritted his teeth when his brother started to follow him. Finally he stopped and turned around, that was it, he'd had it. "Stop following me! That's all you do! Just leave me alone for five minutes you damn nuisance!"

The hollow stopped and stared for a few minutes, almost as if Ichigo's word's had struck him. Even Orihime was in shock, holding a hand over her mouth to suppress a gasp of shock. The hollow took off out the door on all fours and disappeared.

"Kurosaki-kun! That was mean!" Orihime said, getting up and going after the hollow. She had never thought she would say those words to Ichigo. Never.

Ichigo just scoffed, but found that Rukia was leaning against the wall and staring at him. "What do you want?" He asked, unhappily.

"What's going on? Why did you do that to him?"

"Do what?"

"You lost your temper with him. I thought you wanted to take care of him. What are you feeling right now?" Rukia questioned and he dropping to sit down in his bunk.

"I don't know how to feel right now. I don't know what to do with him and I don't know what to do with myself." Ichigo buried his face in his hands.

"Ichigo, you need to pull yourself together. I know that it's hard and I know you're confused, but you already knew that it would be hard to take care of a hollow. He may even be more animal then human in any case, but you said it yourself… he's your brother."

"I just need some time to think."

Back outside Orihime had followed Kamen to where he was currently sitting and staring out over the water at the setting sun, she couldn't really detect any emotion in his features. Maybe he didn't even know what as going on, other then the fact that he had been yelled at and yelling usually meant trouble.

"Ichigo didn't mean to yell at you." She told him and he tilted his head back to find her behind him, before looking back forward. "You know that right?" She asked and the hollow sighed quietly. She sat down besides him and watched the slight glint in golden eyes as they investigated the world around them.

The hollow gasped quietly and fell backwards when the winged creature flew past his face. Orihime giggled quietly at his expression, he had obviously never seen one before.

"It's a butterfly!" She informed and he watched the small floating thing and a small smile tugged at the corners of his lips as he reached out to brush it with his fingertips. "Butterflies are pretty, right?" She asked, smiling and tilting her head as he watched with extreme fascination as the butterfly drifted along, joined by another as they drifted away into the sunset.

XxXxX

"On three… we run…" The voice whispered and in the darkness they snuck into a field to gatherer a few "groceries". As they discovered, the hollow turned out to be a big asset and help in finding food and sneaking. Somebody had taught him well and it hadn't been them.

So it didn't need to be said, nobody noticed when the hollow spotted the apple and climbed up a tree to get a few. He picked the perfect one and grinned happily, stuffing it into the bag slung over his shoulder, before he heard a shout and barely avoided the light from a lantern spotting him.

"Hey! You little punks!" The farmer shouted and they bolted, the only one that hadn't gotten away was Ichigo, but only because he'd been caught.

The hollow panicked, for the not the first time in his life, he was afraid. He quickly looked around, but there was nobody to help. Nobody was there to help his brother.

"Mmm… mmm… Ichi-nii-san!" He cried, before jumping onto the farmer and digging his extra long canines into the man's leg.

He tasted the familiar taste of blood on his tongue as he held on, refusing to let go. The man screamed in agony and dropped Ichigo in order to try and grab him. The hollow didn't let go, closing his eyes tightly as the farmer grabbed him and ripped bits of hair out. The farmer jerked him up and punted him into the tree and he hit with a sickening crack and a thud and the hollow slumped against the ground, going completely still.

"Kamen!" Ichigo yelled and hit the farmer where it counted as hard as he could and the man cried out very high pitched. He slid across the ground and grabbed his younger brother, lifting him up and quickly carrying him back towards the base. He met Renji and Orihime at the edge of the woods and they both looked shocked.

"He said your name!" Orihime whispered in shock. Ichigo nodded sadly and set his brother down, brushing back snow-white hair to investigate the bleeding lump on the back of his head. Kamen seemed to wake up a little, his eyes seemed blurry and unfocused.

"You saved me, Kamen." Ichigo said, guilt rising, before he embraced his brother tightly. "I'm so sorry for yelling at you the other day! I didn't mean to hurt you. You did a great job today."

"Let's get him home and cleaned up." Renji said and since he was the biggest of the boys, he lifted the hollow up and over his shoulder and they started towards home. The hollow laid limp over Renji's shoulder, he was clearly very hurt.

"Kurosaki-kun, you got hurt too." Orihime noticed, but he shrugged.

"It's just a little scratch." Ichigo said and started off after them, they really should hurry. That guy would be looking for them.

XxXxX

The local authorities were at the scene of the crime concerning the 'bandits' that stole some of a farmers crop.

"So… what you're saying is… a hollow bandit raided your farm?" A man asked suspiciously, writing the account down.

"Yes!" The farmer replied, showing the bite mark on his leg.

"A hollow you say?" A voice asked and the man stood up straight suddenly.

"Aizen-teichou!" He jumped back and Aizen took the paper away from him, reading it then ripping it up into little pieces. "Sir-"

"I'll take over from here, please leave now." Aizen ordered and the man quickly complied. "A hollow?"

"Yes, sir." The farmer replied. "It made a meal of my leg!"

"Do you know which way he ran off to?"

"The last I saw… it ran off towards the woods with the rest of the bandits."

"I see." Aizen said slowly. "You won't speak a word of this to anyone?"

"O-of course not." He told the captain, before the was a sharp ring and a dull wet thud as he was decapitated.

"Of course you won't."

XxXxX

"You know, Kamen… that was really dangerous for you to do. You could have been really hurt." Ichigo reprimanded gently. As he finished wrapping bandages around his little brother's head. The bleeding had finally stopped at least. He had been worried that such a deep gash wouldn't. "What were you doing in that tree anyway?"

Kamen seemed to register what he was saying and quickly dug his prize out of the bag, before he gave it to Ichigo with large golden eyes sparkling and a little smile on his face. Ichigo wanted to hand it back, but his brother just pushed it closer.

"You got it for me?" Ichigo asked and his brother let a little grin show in conformation, Ichigo smiled back, before he grabbed a knife and cut it in half. "We'll share it, alright? You know I'm sorry for yelling at you, right?"

The hollow titled it's head and nodded in understanding to both questions. Right then, Orihime entered the room and his brother smiled even more and Ichigo swore… that if his brother had a tail it would be wagging he was so excited.

"Butterfly." The hollow said and Ichigo blinked a few times, before he noticed Orihime's slight blush. He looked between the two in confusion.

"I was going to see how you two were feeling…" She said, trying to shake it off and change the subject, but the blush was still there.

"I think he's just fine and this little cut I have is nothing." Ichigo assured her. "The bleeding stopped and everything, so it's not a big deal."

"I was thinking… that… it was your birthday not so long ago… so… wasn't it your brother's too?" She asked and he shrugged, before nodding.

"Yeah, I guess you're right."

"We didn't celebrate it… and they probably didn't wherever he was being held…"

"That's actually a great idea, Inoue!" Ichigo acknowledged happily. "Oh, but… let's keep it just between us. Besides… the other kids don't like him since he's…" He didn't finish.

"They're a bunch of meanies anyway." Orihime said and smiled. "I'll get to work on his present right away, I already know what to do."

"Yeah." Ichigo laughed. "But next time… next time we'll celebrate our birthdays together, huh, Kamen?" He patted his younger brother's head, making sure not to be too rough on his injury and smiled, his brother grinned back with a brilliant smile.

XxXxX

It was a lazy day, everyone was just relaxing since they'd had a hard week. It seemed like it'd be that way all day.

"Hey! What are you doing in here you little freak?" A boy asked and Kamen slowly looked up at the larger boy. He had previously been enjoying playing with the scarf Orihime had somehow put together for him with Rukia, he loved the colors, a black scarf with a white K. He loved it because his brother had one similar, she had told him it was for his birthday.

A boy threw a rock at him and he barely avoided it, growling lowly in warning, he just wanted to be left alone.

"His brother needs to keep him under control. Letting the little monster out all the time." Another scoffed and he growled louder, he didn't like them speaking of his brother that way. He may not know much, but he knew enough to know it was an insult. "What was that suppose to be?"

He could have easily killed them, but Ichigo had told him it would be wrong. So instead he let them throw things at him and mock him, while always coming home to a fuming big brother, but as angry as he was, there was nothing Ichigo could do to stop it, but try and keep him hidden away.

He couldn't avoid the next bunch of rocks that came at him and one hit above his eye, and he felt the warm blood start to stream down. It stung.

"I know what we'll do with him!" Another boy said and before he could react, the boy's were all over him, grabbing him and restraining him, before he felt an ice cold sting and he couldn't breath. He surfaced from the ice cold water, breathing heavily and shivering, while the boy's laughed and walked away.

He crawled out of the water and grabbed his now dirty scarf and crawled underneath a cardboard box to shiver in the cold, curling up next to the scarf, it was still warm. He faded into darkness as it started to rain.

"Ichigo!" Renji shouted, running after the boy. "Come back! It's too dangerous!"

"No!" Ichigo scolded, not caring about the ice cold rain that was freezing him to the bone. "I need to find my brother!"

In the corner, a group of guilty looking boys said nothing under Rukia's cold and stern stare. She tapped her foot, arms crossed as she waited for answers.

"Well? Where did you leave him?" She asked again.

"We only threw him into the basin! We left after that!" One boy said. "Shin was the one that threw the rock at him!"

At that Rukia became furious. "You threw rocks at him? Why you do something like that!"

"He's a freak!" Another justified.

"Shut up! All of you!" Renji said, walking back in and slamming his spear through the floor. "You're all on the night shift from now on."

Meanwhile Ichigo had run out into the rain, searching for his brother. He stopped when he spotted the box in the distance, before he started into a sprint and skidded to a stop, finding his brother curled up and shivering in his sleep.

"Kamen…" He whispered gently, setting a hand over his brother's forehead. "What have they done to you? You've got a fever… and you're bleeding."

Ichigo picked his brother up, wrapping the scarf he cling to around him and the small hollow snuggled into his brother's warmth, shivering still. His heart broke, because he didn't know what he could do to stop this. So he got his mind off it, carrying his brother home silently in the rain.

XxXxX

TBC...

Thanks for reading, leave a review and God Bless you.


	5. No More Pretty Butterflies

Disclaimer: I do not own this.

A/N Too tired to make witty comments. ;)

XxXxX

7 years later…

Sighing deeply, Ichigo walked into the room he knew his brother wouldn't be in, before slapping a hand to his face. He'd been gone for a few weeks, he knew that he came home at night though.

"Damnit!" He shouted and slammed his fist against the doorframe. He knew, he already knew. It upset him to no end the choices that his brother made. He couldn't blame his brother for wanting some sort of escape, because the other children had gotten to a point where they were down right cruel to him, because of what he was.

Although… it gave him no excuse to what he was doing now. Heading back out of the room he heard Renji and Rukia arguing again. This had also become more frequent. It seemed that things were going down hill very fast, because everyone had grown up and there was no room for children's games anymore.

Walking out of the building abruptly, he didn't notice that Orihime had seen his distress. She quickly turned and headed off to find his brother, already guessing where he was. When she crossed underneath the bridge and looked up, she saw him lying on top of a ledge lazily with a bottle of whiskey.

"Kamen-kun! Get down here!" She called. She was upset with him, she wouldn't hide it.

"Leave me the hell alone!" He shouted back, voice slurred. Her shoulders slumped at the sound of his voice, he was drunk again.

"I won't leave until you come down here and talk to me." She replied and there was silence, before she could see him shifting into a sitting position.

He jumped down and landed in a crouch, before standing to his full height and leaning his face closer to hers. He was trying to intimidate her, it'd become a bad habit she couldn't make him give up. Although he would never try that with Rukia, because last time she just kicked him in the groin. She could probably do that too, but… she just didn't have it in her to hurt him.

He had certainly changed over the years, but his bad behavior was just as much his own fault as it was the kids that had picked on him. Being picked on just didn't give him an excuse to become a complete ass no matter how one tried to looked at it.

"Ya' wanted ta' talk… so let's talk." He said and she winced as he breathed in her face. Yes, he was certainly drunk with the strong smell of alcohol on his breath and clothes. And if she wasn't mistaken the hint of something else lingered in the fabric as well.

"Why are you doing this to yourself?" She asked and felt him step closer, she tried to keep her eyes on his and win his staring contest, because if she did, she could gain some control in this conversation.

"Relax, butterfly. I'm just havin' a little fun." He licked his dry lips and kept his eyes on hers, he knew the game.

"You need to stop this." Orihime said, trying to make it sound like an order, but knowing her it probably didn't. "You're worrying, Ichigo."

"Who cares?" Regardless of what he said, she saw the slight change in his eyes.

"You're worrying me."

"You've got nothin' to worry about."

"I do have something to worry about when you're killing yourself!" She yelled and he was taken aback by her outburst. She knew by the smell on his clothes drinking wasn't the only thing he'd been doing, she could smell the drug on him.

"I ain't killing myself. Go home, I've got things to do."

"Like drinking yourself unconscious?" Again she had surprised him. She pushed too hard, too far, too fast. Even he was shocked and horrified at his own rash and drunken actions. She touched the already bruising place on her cheek and backed away from him.

"I-I I'm sorry… I didn't…" He tried to apologize, but she slapped his hand away and started to walk, while his drunken mind tried to comprehend what just happened. "Hime! I'm sorry!"

"I won't be there when you come home." She informed as she left him and he stared after her, before he snapped out of it and went after her. Just as he started after her, he lost his footing and fell for what felt like a long time before the back of his head connected with the cement.

He groaned quietly, blinking through blurred vision. "Damnit."

"I've been looking for you for quiet some time. You're a very hard person to find." A voice said from the shadows and he tried to move, but was unsuccessful. Oh, no.

XxXxX

Back at the hideout Orihime got up the next morning and headed towards the door when she heard the loud knocking, she figured it was Kamen trying to apologized, she supposed she had been a little rash by telling him she wouldn't be there.

"If this is-" She cut herself off when she saw the worried look on Ichigo's face.

"Inoue… Kamen didn't come home last night. He always comes back. What if he's lying dead somewhere?"

"He didn't come back?" She asked in shock.

"H-hey… what happened to your face?" He asked quickly taking in the bruise.

"O-o-oh! This? It's nothing… I just… uhm-"

"You saw him last night didn't you!" Ichigo shouted, anger in his voice.

"I did… I yelled at him for drinking."

"So he hit you? That's it… I'm done with him this time. I gave him chance after chance… but this is the last one. He can't stay here. I was a fool for even thinking of it, he'll never fit in. He's a hollow."

"Kurosaki-kun!" She gasped. "Don't say that… it was an accident and we need to go find him right now. He could be in trouble."

"You're not even angry?" Ichigo asked in shock.

"I'm hurt by the things he's doing, but I'm not angry." She replied and pushed past him. They needed to find him, wherever he was. She already knew where he went, so it was easy to find the place she'd been last night.

But, they paused when they saw the blood. He'd been injured somehow. Ichigo quickly ran up to the pool and pressed a finger into it.

"It's fresh." He informed, when he stood he noticed the empty bottle lying off in the distance. When Ichigo walked over he spotted his unconscious brother at the bottom of a dried out part of the river.

"Oh… Ichigo… he's hurt…" Orihime said worriedly.

"Leave him there for awhile."

"We can't leave him alone!"

"I'm not leaving him alone, but it won't be pretty when he wakes up. So go back. I've got something I need to take care of. I've got to put him in his place once and for all." There was silence. "I'm not joking this time. Go."

She did as asked, but she didn't have to like it. Sighing deeply, Ichigo sat down and waited for his brother to wake. It took a few hours, but the hollow stirred and slowly sat up. He knew that his older brother was waiting and he had no qualms about it.

"I know… I've made a big mistake." Kamen said quietly, remembering the wise words of the man that spoke with him last night. "You're here to punish me… I won't fight back."

"Good… because you're going to pay for what you did to Inoue." His older brother replied, rolling back his sleeves and cracking his knuckles.

"I deserve it." He struggled to stand up as Ichigo jumped down in front of him. "I'm your own personal punching bag, Nii-san."

"Don't move." Ichigo warned and hauled off, before striking his brother in the face several times. The hollow fell onto a knee, before standing up once more. He waited for Ichigo to punch him again, but instead, he was pulled into a hug. "Don't you ever do something like this again. Put an end to your drinking."

"I decided that was what I would do last night." He sighed quietly.

"Come home."

"Right."

Kamen had to admit, that he didn't think he'd be allowed to come home after what he'd been doing here in this place. Getting into all sorts of trouble. The walk back was silent, neither sibling saying a word.

XxXxX

There were the almost silent footsteps, before Orihime felt the covers pulled back and the warmth of somebody crawling up next to her. It could only be one person, she knew. She felt him lie his head on her stomach and sigh deeply.

"Uhm… why are you… in my bed with me?" She asked quietly, so as not to draw attention from anybody else sleeping in the room. She could feel her face heating up at his closeness.

"I wanted to apologize." The hollow informed, lying very still. She didn't know if he was afraid to move or if he just didn't want to, either way… it was still embarrassing.

"Like this…?" She felt him freeze completely, even his breathing stopped for a moment, before he inched up and set a hand on her cheek. Leaning down, he pressed a gentle kiss to the injury he inflicted.

"I'm sorry." He lowered his head, to where she couldn't see his eyes. "I'm sorry."

"It… it's alright…"

"You must hate me now."

"No… I would never hate you. I promise." She assured him quietly and he was about to say something else, before the door to the room opened, she quickly forced him to roll over and pulled the blanket over his head. "Shhh… if Rukia finds out that you snuck into the girl's room she'll be really angry."

She heard him snort sarcastically, but he went silent, for her sake. Orihime cured her luck when Rukia walked down the row straight towards her.

"Hey." Rukia said quietly. "Are you feeling alright? I heard from Ichigo what happened."

"Oh, yeah, I'm-agh!" Orihime winced and Rukia made a face when the girl kicked at something under the blankets.

"What's wrong?" Rukia asked, growing concerned.

"N-nothing. I just thought I felt a spider. It must have been a string hanging off the blanket or something." She replied to her friend quickly.

"Right… well… as long as you're alright." Rukia slowly stood, grabbing a book from the shelf to her left and holding it close she said, "You know… if it's a spider… all you need to do is… smash it!" She slapped the book over the lump under the blankets, earning a yelp. "And don't lie about it." with that she left the room.

Orihime pushed the blankets down to find Kamen rubbing the sore spot on his head and wincing, she only sighed.

"Well that's what you get for tickling me when you knew Rukia was right there." She told him and he simply laughed.

"Hey, I just wanted to see if you could keep from laughing."

"You're evil."

"Thank you."

"It isn't a compliment." She informed seriously and he just grinned, she was so naive sometimes, yes, Orihime was a special girl alright. He chuckled at the thought.

"Kamen!" Ichigo shouted for his brother form outside the door. "Get out of the girls room before I come in there and get you!" All the girls were awake at the sudden shouting, all glaring at the hollow.

"Hey! Did Rukia tell you? That traitor!" He replied, frowning.

"Of course she did! Get out!"

He laughed again. "See ya' later, Hime." He quickly jumped out before the girls could maul him and string him up for invading their space, although he was unable to avoid the screams and bombardment of pillows that pelted his head on the way out.

XxXxX

Ichigo stared at his two friends in silence. He wasn't exactly sure what to feel about the situation right now. It was an unexpected blow they had dealt them.

"So… you're leaving us then?" He asked and tightened his grip on his brother's forearm with bruising force to keep him from punching Renji in the face.

"I'm sorry, Ichigo," Rukia said, stepping forward to speak before Renji could make this any worse. "But… Renji is right. There's nothing left. The group has fallen apart. You've seen some of the things they do. They've become nothing more then thugs. It's not what it was."

"There has to be something good left." Ichigo said, trying to find something, anything to keep his long time friends from leaving.

"You could come with us." Renji tried, but that earned him a glare.

"They won't let my brother into the Soul Society and I won't lose him! Not again." Ichigo fired back, but he hadn't noticed how his brother had gone silent and seemed to be thinking.

"He's just a hollow." Renji told him and just as Ichigo was about to speak, his brother cut him off.

"He's right, Ichigo." He started quietly. "I'm just a hollow. If not for yourself… do this for me and take Inoue with you. It's just too dangerous out here… and I want you-both of you to have a better life."

"I won't leave you!" Ichigo was down right shocked at that.

"I'm… not giving you a choice. If you don't go with them and take Inoue with you… I'm going to turn myself in to the Soul Society."

"You can't…"

"I'm not afraid to die, Nii-san."

"Bastard! Why are you making me do this?"

"I want a better life for you. I'm already dead. I died a long time ago, so go live your life. I should have done this sooner, but I was too selfish. Now I see the truth. Go." And for the second time in his life, Kamen walked away from his brother, but this time he did it out of love and not selfishness.

"Stop! You're not doing this! I won't let you!" Ichigo shouted, but it didn't stop his brother and he himself was unable to move, to continue to speak, to stop him. It was too late, he'd made up both their minds for them.

XxXxX

"Kamen!" Orihime opened the door to his room, but it was empty. He'd packed his things and left, he hadn't even let them decide. She slowly walked to his bed and picked up the box he'd left behind with a note.

It was his messy distinctive scrawl for sure.

_I know that you may be angry at me for leaving, but I don't want to see you two suffering anymore because of me. Ichigo… he'll get over it. Eventually. He was always stronger then me, maybe not physically, but he always had more resolve then I could ever hope for.  
>He relies on me too much. Like I've always told you, Ichigo is the king and I'm only the horse. A lame horse and you put a lame horse down to make it easy on everyone. I left something for you and Ichigo to remember me by.<em>

_So what I'm saying is goodbye. It was never either of you. It had always been me._

_PS. Don't get all sentimental on me and shit. And don't cry, Orihime._

That was how he ended it. She couldn't help, but get sentimental when she saw what he had left for Ichigo. A photo, she didn't know he had of him and Ichigo together on the first birthday he'd ever had, both of them smiling happily while dumping cake in one another's hair.

What he left for her was different. A little stuffed white horse with a butterfly painted onto it's nose. He must have spent a lot of time making it and it was hard to imagine somebody that only liked to break things actually creating something, but he had.

She sat there in silence for a little while until the door opened and she heard a slow sigh.

"He's already gone?" Ichigo asked and all she could do was nod.

XxXxX

Packing had seemed like the longest period in the history of his life, but really it only took a few moments to get out of that place.

"So, you're running away again?" A voice asked and he stopped and sighed, slinging his backpack over his shoulder.

"Yeah." He replied simply, the grinning captain patted his shoulder as he stepped closer.

"And you quit drinking. Good for you." Urahara smiled and walked with the Kurosaki in silence. "If you give me some time… I think… I may be able to work something out for you."

"I don't want to cause my brother any more trouble." Kamen told him.

"I was right about your bad habits wasn't I? So know that I'm right about this. Trust me, hmm?" There was another moment of silence. "I'll take you under my wing."

"Why? What do you want from me?" The hollow had to stop and asked suspiciously.

"I don't want anything from you, but I can't let Aizen get you. You know what it's like there and he would use your powers for his own gain."

"Please, tell me something… why… why did my parents get rid of me? Why didn't they want me?"

"It isn't like that." Urahara told him and sighed. "Aizen didn't leave them a choice and it was that or death."

"Death would have been better then an eternity with that psychopath." He clenched his fist. "If I ever get my hands around that throat of his… I'll snap it."

"I can't tell you what to do with your life." The captain said and Kamen stopped to stare at him again. "I have a plan, but I need you to go along with it."

"I'll think about it."

XxXxX

TBC...

Thanks for reading, leave a review and God bless.


	6. The Plan

Disclaimer: I stare at you seriously... do you think I'd be writting this if I owned it?

A/N It's getting serious. Seriously.

XxXxX

Three month later…

Class was ending and Renji and Rukia seemed to be arguing again, Ichigo sighed, frowning. It irritated him to no end not knowing where his brother might be. Possibly dead or mangled or some other horrible thing. Joined a hollow cult. Who knew.

He gathered whatever books were needed and headed out of class sluggishly. Ichigo sighed deeply again and headed out, pausing when he saw a teacher and a captain discussing a new student. His shoulders slumped, nope. No way. He wasn't seeing this. He wasn't screaming silently in his head, no. Not doing that at all.

"Oh, it's Ichigo!" Urahara put on his usual goofy smile and Ichigo frowned. "Look who I have!"

"Wha… how is he here? The Soul Reapers will murder him!" Ichigo cried hysterically, just about ready to strangle the captain. "Are you insane?"

"Calm down now, Kurosaki." The teacher spoke up first, holding a hand up, always keeping the other behind his back calmly. "Captain Urahara has somehow… convinced the captain-commander to allow this thing-er… boy to join."

Ichigo didn't even say a single word, just stood there in silence, before the two men left him and his brother alone.

"Is this for real?" Ichigo asked and his brother shrugged, before speaking.

"I… have to stop captain Aizen." Kamen replied.

"That guy is none of our business, we can just-"

"I can't just let it go, Ichigo. Aizen is the one that took me, experimented on me." Golden eyes stayed on the floor. "I have to stop him."

"Why didn't you tell me any of this before? You're fighting all alone when I'm your big brother! Let me help you!" Ichigo shouted and his brother was taken aback.

"You… you'd help me with this? Even after I kept it a secret from you?" He couldn't believe Ichigo would still be willing to help him.

"I'm only disappointed in myself that I made you feel like you couldn't trust me with this." Ichigo replied.

"It's not like that." Kamen tried to tell him, but his brother smiled and held up a hand.

"I've got your back. Alright?"

"Right." There was another shot silence and Ichigo already knew what he wanted to ask. "Can I…"

"Go ahead. I'm not stopping you." Ichigo slowly grinned. "Besides… I'm sure you'll do plenty of catching up, just don't do anything perverted or I'll have to kick your ass."

Kamen flushed and clenched his fist. "I'm not going to do anything like that!"

"Really… don't do it. I have to catch up with my test. Be good."

"I already told ya' I'm not gonna… ugh! I'm going to kick _your _ass if you keep it up."

"You wanna go?" Ichigo asked, looking over his shoulder, knowing that his brother wasn't in a mood to fight. There was someone he wanted to see more then he wanted to fight right now.

"Later… I'm going to kick your ass." His brother warned, before heading off down the hallway. It was an empty threat, they usually didn't fight too badly, but when they did things tended to be destroyed. The first time they ever got into a fight they almost took down Renji's entire hideout.

He had to shake that thought from his mind as he knocked on the wood besides the door. He knew this sweet reiatsu anywhere, so it didn't need to be said that he didn't have to ask where he needed to go. It was almost overwhelming to be back in such a presence.

Kamen had to take a deep breath to calm himself, before the voice told him to come in. Honestly, he didn't know if he could even enter the same room right now.

He slid the door open and noticed that she hadn't even looked his way, too caught up in her test to notice his heavy and dark reiatsu. He swallowed hard, it had been too long.

Closing the door behind him he slowly padded across the hardwood floor to kneel behind her. Her head lifted up from the desk when she heard this and before she could turn to see who was there, she felt herself caught in an embrace. Warm and familiar. She lowered her hands down to his arms around her and knew who it was without having to see cool, white skin.

"Why are you… here?" She asked, wanting to turn and face him, but his grip was too tight and his head was resting against her back.

"You don't want me here?" His voice was muffled and quiet against her back as he held onto her, unwilling to let go.

"No! That wasn't what I meant… I just… I mean… uhm…" Orihime quickly tried to think of something to explain she didn't mean it to sound that way.

"You don't have to say anything. I know what you mean." He breathed out slowly, trying to stay as close to her as he could. She pressed a hand to his chest and put the slightest bit of space between them, allowing her to turn and see his face. He looked tired and worn out.

"Where have you been?" She asked and he closed his eyes for a moment. "Ichigo was worried. He's come a long way here you know. So… it was nice for you to make him come to this place, but you never even let him know where you were going."

"Working with captain Urahara. He's the reason I'm here." An odd tone coming over at the mention of that name. Not now. He didn't want to hear that from her now, he just wanted to sit here and listen to her talk about the odd things she liked and hold her as close to him as possible. He reached for her hand as he spoke, but stopped suddenly when she tensed up.

"Oh…" She pushed him a bit farther back and his eyes lowered, before he slowly stood up. "So that's the only reason you came back."

"I didn't mean to sound like that, but… I'm making too much trouble already. It was silly of me to come in here. I have to go." Kamen turned to leave, but she caught his sleeve.

"You're not-" She tried to convince him it wasn't true, but he pulled away and left. On the outside, Kamen let out a long sigh. That was all it, he had known for a long time, but he thought maybe he might have the slightest chance.

"Oi, baka." A voice called and he frowned.

"What do you want, midget?"

"What are you doing around here?" Rukia asked, leaning against a wall with her arms crossed.

"Unfinished business." Kamen replied.

"With Orihime?"

"No… my business doesn't have anything to do with her. She… well… I don't belong in her presence. Not something like me."

"It sounds like you really care for her."

"Of course I do." He told her, still frowning and keeping his eyes low. "She has Ichigo anyway. She doesn't need me. I'd make her life hell, when she deserves heaven."

"I suppose I kind of guessed already." Rukia commented softly, feeling for him. "A hollow falling in love with a soul. Who ever heard of such a thing?"

"It doesn't matter that I love her. She'll never notice me, she's in love with Ichigo." He stated and Rukia's eyes softened. "But you're in love with Ichigo too… you won't make a move, because you care too much for Inoue's friendship and feelings. You don't want to hurt her."

The sudden change of the way he said her name didn't go unnoticed by the observant girl and she sensed something dark in him. Why did he suddenly call Orihime 'Inoue'? He had always called her Hime or little Hime. Never Inoue.

"I guess we're in the same boat." Rukia seemed to think for a minute or so. "Why do you sound so resigned to your fate? As if it's already decided? We can't tell what might come."

"But we can decide the paths we must take." He informed and her eyes grew wide.

"You're going to-"

"Now you know why… it's what's inside of me that I'm afraid of. You're strong enough that you can see it inside me can't you? Ichigo… he chooses to be blind to it, because he doesn't want to see it. Inoue too."

"That's not the only way! You don't have to let that darkness out."

"Aizen is too strong to fight any other way. It has to happen like this… and so it will."

"Does Urahara know?"

"He tried to talk me out of it as well. So don't think you're saying anything he hasn't already tried." The hollow pressed a hand over his eyes. "I always knew. Always. I love my brother, I love you and Renji and my friends… and I'm in love with Inoue, but… I have to protect all of you. I just can't risk this thing inside me around you guys."

"So that's it? You're just going to quit? What would Ichigo think?"

"He'll frown upon me, but… this is the only way. I've looked at every other option, but there is no other choice here." He slowly walked up to her and gave her a brief hug. "But thanks for being my friend, midget. It means a lot to something like me to have had friends."

"Give us a chance… before you do this. Let us help you." She told him and he chuckled.

"Alright… if you can find any other way to defeat Aizen… I'm open to it, but if not… I have to let the beast out and that will be my end."

"We'll just make sure not to let it happen then. Ichigo… he won't let it happen."

"Either way… thanks." Kamen told her and left her to her thoughts in silent solitude. Neither noticed the cloaked reiatsu. The shadow disappeared quietly.

XxXxX

"Is that so?" Aizen asked the soldier cloaked in black, nodding. "So my little pet thinks he can undermine my authority?" Aizen started to laugh. "He'll fall right into my clutches sooner or later. He can't escape me."

"Yes, the hollow also shows an extreme fondness towards his brother and the Inoue girl. You may be able to exploit it."

"You know, Gin… I think… that this can work to our advantage. At this rate, the Soul Society will be destroyed within a matter of weeks."

"And then you will take over?"

"Rightfully so."

XxXxX

TBC...

Thanks for reading, leave a review and God bless.


	7. The End Begins

Disclaimer: I don't own this.

A/N I have gone back and revised the story and added a few extra things. Hence there is an extra chapter earlier on. This is not a new chapter, but I am working on it as we speak and it will be up soon. Please go back to the first chapter and reread the extras otherwise you won't understand the changes. Thank you. ^^

XxXxX

Kamen scowled in the middle of class. This stuff was damn boring, why did he have to know who the fist founder of Soul Society was? Why did he have to learn Soul Society politics? All he needed to know was how to blow stuff up, fight and he was perfectly fine.

They had put him in the very back of class since he wasn't 'normal' and it wasn't that he had a problem with it, he just had trouble seeing the tiny writing on the bored. Oh, well. He didn't care. Ichigo looked just as bored.

So, with such stated he looked around the room, observing random things, before his eyes stopped on Orihime. And, uh-oh his train of thought was completely gone.

_Wait… what the hell was I just thinking about? _He frowned for a moment, before deciding it really didn't matter. Oh, wait… it did. He was bored. In any other circumstance, ANY other he wouldn't have ever thought this, but… he really thought it was cute the way she absently tried to scribble notes down.

"You should close your mouth. I think you're about to drool." A voice came from his left and he screamed, before falling sideways out of his seat. The entire class was looking at him and he felt awfully stupid, before climbing back into his seat with a grumble.

"It is good to have you observing my class, Urahara-teichou, but please refrain from terrorizing my students." The teacher spoke and Urahara just put on one of his goofy grins.

"Sorry, won't happen again."

"Damn, stupid old man." Kamen muttered.

"How's class?"

"Boring. When can I break some things?"

"Later, later." Urahara informed, before sliding a note across the desk and getting up to head out of the class room. Again he frowned and picked up the small note, reading Urahara's irritating hand writing.

_Prepare yourself for the ultimate training session tonight. _

"Oh, come on… he couldn't just tell me that in person?" He asked quietly to himself. Geez… that guy was something else.

XxXxX

"Ouch, ouch, ouch!" Kamen complained as Urahara knocked him clear across the room and into a wall, almost going right through the thin walls.

"Focus. You're too cocky. That will get you killed." Urahara informed. "Be humble in a fight."

"I'll be sure when I kick your weird ass." He replied, getting up and moving in for an attack. Urahara just grinned and flash-stepped.

"Do you know why the eyes are on the front of the face? It's so you can make progress forward. There's not a single person in this world that has a back road. No matter what happens, all you can do is open your eyes and walk forward." Urahara easily tossed the untrained hollow into the opposite wall.

"I think I understand." Kamen said firmly, getting back up. "Even if it won't change my mind."

"You understand… now… fight me for real this time."

XxXxX

Ichigo sighed and looked up at the sky, before back down at his brother, slumped against a tree and fast asleep.

"Oi! Get up, baka!" Ichigo said, nudging him with his foot.

"I'm up."

"Oh, boys!" The cheerful voice of Urahara called as he approached them slowly, before handing them papers.

"What's this?" Kamen asked, squinting at the paper.

"This is the annual Soul Tournament." The captain informed. "And… this is when Aizen plans to make his move."

"What are we waiting for? Let's kick his ass!" The younger Kurosaki shouted, before Ichigo grabbed him by the back of his Haori and flung him onto the ground in a sitting position.

"Actually… it's not until three weeks from now. The winner will have an audience with the Captain-commander. Needless to say that if Aizen wins he'll have a clear shot at the him."

"I understand." Ichigo said. "I say we enter if it's a chance to beat this guy at his own game."

"However…" Urahara turned his back on them and started to walk slowly. "We need a team of five people… I can be your captain, but you two will have to find the last two members."

"We'll help you." Rukia stated from behind them and both Kurosaki boys turned to find her and Orihime behind them. Urahara stopped and smiled, turning around with a big grin.

"That's great! We should start training right away." The captain stated. Training… Kamen's eye twitched… not again.

XxXxX

Two weeks until the tournament.

Kamen banged his head on the desk several times as he listened to all the Soul reaper hopefuls chattering in class. The girls talking about hair, who slept with who, who did what. The guys talking about which girls were hot and who they wanted to sleep with.

School sucked so bad. Why, oh why did he have to deal with a bunch of idiots? _Shut up, shut up, shut up, shut up! Idiots._He thought as he looked up to see the teacher walk in.

"Alright everyone… class is canceled today to give everyone an extra practice day for the tournament next week." Their teacher said and the room cheered loudly.

_Thank God._Kamen sighed in relief. He slowly gathered all his books and muttered under his breath about 'stupid homework' before heading to the door. He froze when saw some guy leading Orihime out. What the hell was this all about?

Back down in the middle of the class room Ichigo scratched the back of his head nervously as he watched his brother sneak off. Scowling, he started to follow him.

The hollow listened around the corner with his back to the wall. No, he didn't entirely like this. Didn't like spying, but he just didn't like the looks of that guy.

"So Inoue, we were hoping you might show up at the party tonight. We're celebrating before the big tournament. One lucky guy or girl is gonna have a private meeting with the captain-commander." The guy said.

"Oh, yes. I think it will be a great opportunity for anyone who wins."

"Are you competing?"

"Ohh… uhmm…" Orihime paused a moment and he could just picture her with a finger on her chin and he laughed in his head. "Yes, but only to help Ichigo and-"

"Ichigo and the _hollow_?" The guy sneered at the thought and Kamen clenched his fists. He'd pop that guy square in the jaw if she wasn't there.

"Well… they're my friends." Orihime stated, slightly distressed with the way the boy said that about them.

"Yes. Of course they are." He was silent for a moment. "Do you think you'll show?" Kamen winced when he heard that. _no, Hime… those kinds of parties are ones someone like you shouldn't get involved with. _He thought, twisting his mouth up on one side in a grimace.

"No, thank you." Orihime smiled. "At a party like that I wouldn't be able to be myself. I think it's better to be myself then to change and act differently for everybody else. But again… thank you for inviting me."

Kamen sighed in relief. That's_ my girl._He didn't want her getting into the same trouble he had. No, he would hate to see that for her. He was able to relax when he turned he shouted.

Ichigo stood in front of him with his arms crossed. "Any particular reason you're spying on Inoue?"

"Tsk. I don't have to answer to you." He replied, putting on the same scowl his brother had. They stared at one another in silence. Ichigo's face softened and he let his arms drop to the sides.

"Don't worry. Inoue won't get into any trouble." His brother gave him a skeptical look and Ichigo paused to laugh a little. "At least not _that _kind of trouble anyway."

"She'd get hurt falling into a pillow factory!" Kamen scoffed and rubbed the back of his neck nervously, before sighing.

"I can't argue there." Ichigo sighed himself. "I don't get you. If you're so worried about her why the heck have you been avoiding her?"

"I'm giving her space. I don't think either of you should be stuck with a hollow twenty-four-seven."

"What's your problem?"

"I don't have a problem."

"We've been over this before."

"Yea, we have and I've already told ya' that I don't want to cause anymore trouble. So I'm staying away, besides… there's somebody else she'd rather hang around." He started to walk away and Ichigo muttered under his breath.

"Hey! Kamen, we're not done talking here!" Ichigo was about to go after him and give him a peace of his mind, before.

"You should let him go." Rukia told him and Ichigo slapped a hand over his eyes and let it slide down his face slowly.

"I don't see his problem." Ichigo scowled again.

"God. I can't believe you're so blind!" She shouted at him and he turned to her, unhappy with her yelling at him like this. Sure the classroom had emptied during his conversation with his brother, but anyone walking by would have known they were arguing.

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"Nothing."

"Rukia, what the hell is happening right now?"

"Look…" Rukia started in annoyance. "he is in love with Inoue, but Inoue is in love with somebody else. You. She's in love with you and he doesn't want to hurt either of you!"

"Wha… Kamen is in love with Inoue?" Ichigo asked, blinking a few times. "And Inoue… I… I would have noticed something like that… there's no way…"

Then Rukia decide it was now or never, she'd get an answer out of him and end this insane love triangle that was ground on here.

"Do you love Inoue, Ichigo?"

"No." He replied quietly. "Not in that way, because… well… uhm… Rukia… you see…" It struck her then that she had really never seen Ichigo nervous like that before.

Damnit. He didn't know how to say this, especially now with what she had just told him and he knew Rukia wouldn't lie about something like this.

"I like you, but I figure with Renji…"

"What about Renji?" Rukia asked and Ichigo facepalmed. _And she called me dense?_This story was getting really twisted.

XxXxX

One week until tournament.

Everyone had been working hard in training together, and now that Ichigo paid attention he really could tell that his brother had feelings towards Inoue. Whenever he looked at her, he looked like a lost puppy that desperately wanted her to pay attention to him and love him.

It hit his heart and he felt sorry for his brother, because really, he was a hollow deep inside and he couldn't understand exactly what he was feeling.

"Ichigo…" Ichigo screamed and fell backwards when he saw Urahara two inches away from his face the second he looked up.

"Ugh. Bastard. Stop doing that to everyone!"

"Looking at something?" Urahara asked quietly, glancing over and smiling knowingly.

"Shut up will ya'?" Ichigo asked, crossing his arms in annoyance. This guy was getting on his nerves big time.

"Ichigo." Urahara's voice became serious and Ichigo lowered his arms a little bit. "Be careful. Watch your brother… Inoue-san maybe a trigger for the beast inside of him. You'll have to be very careful during this tournament."

"What do you mean? What's inside of him?"

Urahara just walked away slowly. "Work on strengthening that shield, Inoue-san."

XxXxX

It was relatively quiet where Orihime sat by herself, lost in thought. There was a lot going on and there was a lot to do.

"Hey, Inoue." Ichigo said, drawing her out of her thoughts.

"Hi, Kurosaki-kun." She smiled one of her innocent smiles and Ichigo sighed, this would be harder to do then he thought.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure." She set her book aside. It wasn't like she was reading it anyway.

"I wanted to know if you'd noticed anything about… Kamen…" He said slowly, frowning slightly.

"Hmm." She set a hand on her chin. "Come to think of it… he has been avoiding me lately. It's actually a little lonely without him around, but I understand how busy he is lately."

"Okay… Inoue… what would you say… if I said that he likes you." Ichigo asked.

"Well I like him too." Orihime laughed a little and smiled, while Ichigo fought to scream. He should have known this wouldn't be easy.

"No… I mean that-" Ichigo was cut off when he was smacked in the back of the head. "Ow! Damnit!"

"Come on now, Nii-san. We've gotta train. Right now. Remember?" Kamen asked, trying to force a smile. He dragged his brother around a corner, saying by to Orihime as soon as they were out of earshot he smacked his brother again. "Did Rukia tell you?"

"Ahhh… well…" Ichigo knew he wasn't getting out of this. He did walk right into it. "Yeah. She did."

"And why the hell are you telling her? You must know that she loves you."

"I do know." Ichigo said and watched his brother's anger leave his face as he put on his own frown. "I know, but… look… Kamen… I don't love Inoue in that way. I love her like a sister, yes, but… nothing more."

"That doesn't answer my question." He looked at the ground. "She'll be devastated."

"Yeah. Exactly. That's why I was trying to tell her."

"What about you? There has to be someone?" Kamen said, staring hard at his brother. "Rukia, right?"

"Yeah, but she won't go out with me for fear of hurting Inoue. I don't want to hurt her either."

"So you're trying to pawn her off on me?"

"That isn't how I want it to be! Don't make it sound that way." Ichigo shouted.

"Whatever. Tell her right now… or I'll make you pay for stringing her along." He turned and walked away again, knowing Ichigo wasn't finished, but he didn't feel like talking to him after that.

"I don't mean to do it! I swear I didn't know! Kamen!" It didn't stop him and Ichigo was getting tired of this. Why was he putting distance between all of them?

XxXxX

The silence of the room was cut to an abrupt end when a short shout echoed across it and the sleeping figure jerked up out of bed.

Kamen clutched at his heart, sensing the stinging and burning of a distressed reiatsu. He contemplated his options, he should stay here. It was for the best to keep the distance he had worked so hard to place, but with this feeling, he couldn't stop himself from throwing his blankets off and heading out of the area.

Stopping in front of the door, he rapped his knuckles against it. "Oi, Hime. Open up." There was a muted crashing sound and he didn't wait for her to answer, before throwing the sliding door open immediately in a panic. What he saw made his shoulders slump and relax, out of their tense state, while he quickly closed the door behind him.

"So sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. I just got up to fast and knocked the glass off." Orihime told him, trying to clean up the broken glass, before she saw the pale hands taking hers and forcing her to drop the pieces she had collected.

He set her on the bed and forced her to stay there, while cleaning up the glass for her. He heard her sniffle quietly and his heart ached for her. There was only the sound of his bare feet against the hardwood flooring as he walked back and sat down on the bed beside her.

"You've been crying." He stated, judging by her puffy, red eyes and tear-stained cheek. She tried to hide it from him by keeping her face down.

"No, I'm just tired."

"Don't lie to me."

"Ichigo told me everything." Orihime said and he frowned a little more. "And… and…" More tears started to well up and she had to stop for a few moments.

"I really do wish that he loved you back, so that you could be happy… Hime…" Kamen informed, while stretching out his fingers and looking down at his open palms.

"But… I'm…. so… sorry, Kamen." She told him, quickly wrapping her arms around him and golden eyes grew wide at the fact.

"Wha… what?" He asked, completely confused. "Why?"

"He… told me… that you love me. I didn't even notice. I'm so sorry… that I hurt you." She cried quietly and he stiffened in shock, unable to move at all.

"That's why you're crying?" Kamen slowly brought a hand up to her hair and laid his chin on the top of her head, trying to calm her. "What about Ichigo and Rukia?"

"I am sad about that, but I'm more upset about hurting you." Her grip tightened in his haori, while he took a deep breath.

"Orihime… you didn't hurt me." He informed and she pulled back to see his eyes, so she would know if he was telling the truth or not. His golden eyes sparked with honesty.

"I'm really glad then."

"Why would you think you hurt me?" He asked, watching watery grey eyes. She released his haori to try and wipe away the tears with her sleeve.

"Because you loved me and I didn't notice… and I…"

"And you know what it feels like, because you've felt it with Ichigo." He finished for her and she nodded, while he smiled a little bit. "You could put a knife through my heart, Hime… and it still wouldn't hurt me."

It really struck a cord in the old bat cage known as his heart. He could feel it's dusty wings flutter at her confession, that she wasn't upset because Ichigo told her he didn't love her, but she was upset, because she was afraid she had hurt him.

"I would never want to hurt you… because I love you." She reached up to straighten his haori after wrinkling it earlier, but he caught her wrist before she could.

"Hey… you think… that you could love me like you did Ichigo?" He asked, while he carefully massaged the inside of the wrist he was holding with his thumb. Her gaze was locked with his, she couldn't look away from his animalistic eyes that held such gentleness for something that should be scary. Looking into those eyes, she knew her answer. She nodded slowly. "That isn't an answer…"

"I do love you like that." Orihime told him breathless just from looking into his laden eyes and he pulled her against him, pressing his lips against hers.

She gasped against mouth at the tickling, almost electric feeling against her lips where he took the opportunity to slide his tongue in alongside hers, running along the roof of her mouth she snickered a bit, because it tickle and he pulled back, out of breath.

"I-I-I'm sorry…" He panted, holding her upper arms as he rested his forehead against her, feeling her warm breath still brushing against his lips. "I'm taking advantage of you."

"No, you're not." She ran her fingers along his jaw line and tried to keep her face down to hide the fierce blush she had right now. She couldn't help it, but she felt extremely embarrassed after that, not knowing what to think.

Where would they go from here?

XxXxX

In a dark room, lit only by a single candle, Aizen scratched down a few notes, smirking while he heard the door slid open.

"Hello, Urahara. Glad you could come."

"You wanted to speak with me about the tournament?"

"Ah, yes, the tournament." Aizen smirked. "I hear you've gathered a rag-tag team to beat me. You should know that you can't win. Just give it up so you don't have to have anyone killed over this."

"I can't let you get away with this. I know that Kurosaki and his brother won't let you get away with it either. You'll never rule Soul Society." Urahara stated.

"Rule it? You think I want to rule it?" Aizen laughed bitterly. Urahara tried to hide he shock, had he misjudged this man? Then what evil deed was he truly planning? "You know… when this is over… I won't kill you. I'll have you thrown in prison to rot."

"As I've said… I simple can't let you get away with this. I'll stop you or die trying." With those finally words, Kisuke left the room. Feeling that the stakes had just been raised.

XxXxX

TBC...

Thanks for reading, leave a review and God bless.


	8. The End Starts Here

Disclamier: I do not own Bleach.

A/N Alright. The last and final chapter. Are you ready? Hang onto your seats and you HAVE to read until the end no matter what happens! You HAVE to. Do not freak out. Remain calm. As I am writing this it is three in the morning and this will be beta'd later. So... yeaa.

XxXxX

It was one of those times when he was very silent, he hadn't meant to fall asleep in Orihime's room, but damned if he wanted to get up and leave. She was curled up against his side and it was warm and comfortable and he didn't want to move at all.

Today was the day. They would fight to stop Aizen and today… might very well be the hollow's last day here. He carefully disentangled himself from the blankets and inched away from Orihime, so as not to wake her.

"Don't go yet…" she said quietly, grasping his hand before he could move and he smiled gently, brushing her hair from her eyes and kissing her cheek.

"Only for a few minutes… we have to fight today. Remember?" He asked and she nodded sleepily, she was adorable. He couldn't resist that look of hers. He was hooked and he couldn't escape, but then he really didn't want to.

XxXxX

The arena was full of cheering fans, waiting to see the Soul Reapers battle it out. The first few fights took place and some lasted longer then others, but it seemed like an eternity to wait for the most important event that would change the fate of the Soul Society for ever.

In their first fight, Urahara had taken out another captain single handedly as they finished off their first opponents, Kamen had thought Urahara was just a joke, but when he was really fighting… it appeared it was just a ruse the man put on.

The battles got harder as they moved on and finally as they were in the last fight, they found themselves against Aizen's squad. Aizen himself didn't actually fight, he just let his minions do the work.

"Aizen will fight dirty." Urahara warned as they stepped into the ring and prepared themselves.

Kamen couldn't place it, but he had a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach. He was finally going to face Aizen, finally going to face the man that treated him so terrible and used him as a lab rat. He didn't care what happened to him, but he was worried about his brother and Orihime and Rukia.

He had to be able to beat Aizen, he had to. Otherwise it was all over and even though he didn't exactly care about Soul Society, but he cared about his small family he had made within this squad of misfits. He had to fight to protect them.

Aizen's team consisted of his lieutenant Momo Hinamori, Gin Ichimaru and his lieutenant Izuru Kira and finally Kaname Tōsen.

"Ichigo!" A voice called loudly and they looked over to find three people running towards them, Ichigo's eyes grew wide, while Kamen simply raised an eyebrow.

"Dad? Mom?" Ichigo asked in shock and looked over at his brother to see a surprised look, before he turned his back on them. Sora was there, embracing Orihime and she was so happy to see him there were tears of joy running down her cheeks.

"Ichigo… I can't believe it… look at you… you've grown into such a handsome young man." His mother told him and Ichigo didn't know what to say after not seeing them in such a long time.

"We missed you Ichigo. We wanted to come see you sooner after Urahara told us you'd decided to become a Soul Reaper." Isshin stated and Ichigo shot a glare at the whistling captain that was inching away from them slowly. "Ichigo… we're sorry for lying to you. We were just trying to protect you. Please, understand."

Ichigo sighed deeply. "I… understand…"

Masaki looked up at the young man with his back to them. "Kamen." She spoke gently setting her hand on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry… do I know you?" Kamen asked with a cold voice.

"I am so sorry, Kamen, but… we didn't have a choice… they would have killed you. And it was selfish, but we wanted you to live… no matter the costs." Isshin cut in.

"You sold me." He spat out bitterly.

"Can you ever forgive us?" Masaki asked and he slowly turned to look at them. There was a short silence before he turned around to face them.

"Mom… and dad…" Kamen said very slowly, testing the words. "I… forgive you…"

He was suddenly embarrassed by the two, while Isshin pulled Ichigo into the group hug as well. He felt like a very heavy weight had been lifted off of him. He felt relived to have spoken with them and being able to forgive them.

At first… he thought he'd never be able to, but… he had to forgive them, not only for them, but for himself as well.

"Your sisters will be excited to meet you." Masaki giggled.

"We have sisters?" Both Ichigo and Kamen asked at the same time in shock, before attempting to shake off the shock.

Finally their number was called, it was time to fight Aizen and it was time to end this… once and for all… a battle to the death. Their mother quickly kissed both her boys on the cheek and backed up, Isshin held her as they watched them head out to fight. Masaki tightly held her husband's hand.

"They'll be alright." He assured, watching them head out. "I never thought… we would get to see them both alive and well… working together."

On the other side of the ring Aizen smirked to himself, his Zanpakuto ready. He knew that his little pet would come directly after him, with that temper of his. Aizen knew his master plan would fall into place today, he would become a god.

Across the room, inhaling a deep breath, Kamen set a hand on the hilt of his own Zanpakuto. Urahara had given it to them before the match, it was identical to his brother's… he didn't exactly understand it, but… the blade felt powerful in an odd way.

He set one foot forward and waited, waited, his heart pounded in his chest. This was it… today was the day it all ended once and for all.

"Fight!" The ref ordered in a firm tone and that was it.

His blade immediately clashed with Aizen's sparks flying from the blades and reflecting in both their eyes. The depths of ebony/gold and white/brown spoke murderous intent at one another. Aizen smirked and Kamen narrowed his eyes, jumping back and shunpoing behind Aizen, the man sensed him and quickly turned to block. Their blades met again in sparks.

He growled deep in his throat, he would stop Aizen at all costs. He curved his Zanpakuto underneath Aizen's and a look of surprise crossed his face as he sliced across Aizen's chest. He was about to take the opening, but another blade found it's way into his back and he coughed up blood, turning and swinging his blade harshly at T

ōsen who struck him from behind, Urahara came to his rescue and blocked another slash from hitting him.

With that distraction gone he turned his attention back to Aizen, ignoring the searing pain and blades met and sparks flew and he had to wonder what was up, something wasn't right here. He could sense it.

"You know… you can't wind against me…" Kamen stated and Aizen only smirked.

"Of course I knew… that's why…" Aizen started slowly… and his gaze was on Urahara when Gin caught him from the side, giving Tōsen time to slip away and…

"Orihime!" He shouted, turning his back on Aizen in a moment of panic, he felt the blade enter into his back, near his spine and he was too concerned, too high on underline to feel it, too horrified as Tōsen's blade came down and hit right through Inoue's shield.

"Stop! Stop!" The ref was telling them loudly, nobody was supposed to be killed in this.

Ichigo and Rukia got to Orihime first, seeing as he was still impaled by Aizen's blade. The only ones who hadn't stopped fighting where Aizen and him… and Gin and Urahara. His fists were shaking, dark eyes becoming even dark as Aizen very slowly pulled his Zanpakuto from his back and stabbed him through again.

Looking up from a very seriously injured Orihime, Ichigo's eyes grew wide when he saw his brother, Aizen just kept stabbing him and he wasn't doing anything but standing there. He quickly grabbed Zangetsu and was about to do something, before Tōsen was in his way.

"Kamen, wake up!" Ichigo screamed at the top of his lungs as his blade clashed with Tōsen's. he desperately tried to break with Tōsen to get to his brother.

"Yes, listen to your brother…" Aizen chuckled darkly. "Wake up…"

Ichigo broke off long enough to see his brother drop to his knees and there was an explosion of sudden reiatsu that had everyone on their knees. It was suffocating, like drowning in water. Kamen very slowly stood up, mask fully formed over his face, there were audible gaps as he stood to his full hollow height, he wasn't normal. It was more then obvious now.

He grabbed Aizen's sword between his clawed fingers and just as he was about to snap it…

"Heel!" Aizen ordered and he was frozen. "Good boy. That's a good boy. Now… kill them. All of them."

There was silence and his claws twitched for a few moments, before he growled lowly and turned on Urahara.

"Aizen… what have you done?!" Urahara asked, barely avoiding Kamen's large sharp claws, shunpoing out of the way.

"Aizen… taichou?" Momo asked in confusion upon seeing how he controlled a hollow in such a way, even Izuru seemed shocked. Tōsen and Gin stood besides Aizen, with the hollow in front of them and trying to kill Urahara.

"Hahaha. Don't you see?" Aizen laughed. "This hollow… is the most powerful beginning to have ever existed! And with our experiments… we made him even better. This was my plan, Urahara 'taichou'" He spat the word taichou. "Nobody can stop the hollow… all I had to do was harm what he cared about most and unleash his anger. It's such a powerful tool, isn't it? I will destroy ALL of Soul society and nobody can stop it! Not with my pet at my side."

Momo fainted at hearing such harsh things from the man she admired so greatly and Kira caught her before she hit the ground, stunned and confused himself.

"Bastard!" Ichigo shouted, his own reiatsu flared and he stabbed Tōsen into a wall, glaring. "I won't let you do this! I will stop you and I will save my brother and my friends! Nobody can stop ME from doing it!"

Ichigo removed his blood covered blade from Tōsen's gut and shunpo'd in front of Aizen, prepared for a blow, but a hand caught his sword and he looked up to see his fully hollowfied brother holding the weapon, blooding dripping from his hand.

"Don't do this!" Ichigo begged, jumping back as his brother came at him quickly. "I know you're still in there! Kamen! Listen to me!"

Urahara blocked the downswing of claws that would have caught Ichigo off guard and set a hand on the boy's shoulder.

"Ichigo… he's gone…" Urahara told him sadly, arm shaking with the strain it took to hold back the hollow's strength.

"No! He's not gone! I don't believe that! I will save him!" He replied to Urahara, unable to stop the tears he could feel burning at his eyes. "I'll save him."

"Ichigo…" Urahara said, the hollow's hand pressed down more, claws within inches from the two. "You have to do it."

Ichigo's hand shook as he reached into his pocket, right as the hollow brought his hand back and swung again, Urahara was unable to catch the blade however, this time… they both looked up to find Isshin standing there over them.

"Son! I know you're in there. You must stop this!" Isshin told him firmly, looking the lost soul directly in the eye.

"Now Ichigo!" Urahara shouted at him and Ichigo grabbed the vile and stabbed it into his brother's chest, it was hard to get through the thick hollow skin, but he injected him and his eyes grew wide and he roared in rage, making a wide sweep with his arm and knocking them all several feet away.

He stumbled, before ripping the needle with a strange liquid out of his chest and tossing it across the room where it shattered. Aizen cackled at his victory.

"Urahara… you fool… you cannot manually reverse the effects! I've thought of everything. I knew you would get in my way. You potions won't work." Aizen informed.

Urahara raised an eyebrow. "I thought you would think of that… and that's exactly why I lowered the dose… it won't do anything to him, but lower his reiatsu considerably for an amount of time… just enough time… to kill him."

Aizen and Urahara glared at one another. "You would kill your own student? Why… you're no better then I am."

"He knew. It was what he wanted." Urahara replied and Ichigo gave him a surprised look. "He always had a fear he would lose control of the beast inside him… he was hoping the beast would kill you… in fact… he was planning to unleash the beast just to kill you… he also asked me to make something to kill him after he did."

"His plan was flawed… his beast form always ways and always will be under my command. You'll all die, you should just give up while you can."

"I'm going to kill you!" Ichigo shouted in anger, stepping forward, but he father stopped him.

"No, Ichigo… I am sorry to take this away from you both, but I will deal with Aizen… it's time I did what I should have done years ago." Isshin said and stepped forward. "Distract your brother… daddy is going to take care of everything."

"Dad! He'll kill you!" Ichigo said, but Isshin shook his head.

"Ichigo… take care of your brother." He replied and stepped forward, drawing his Zanpakuto.

"Really, Isshin? After all I've done for you? What a shame." Aizen said, drawing his own.

Rukia was so tempted to jump into the fight, but right now she was trying to take care of an unconscious Orihime. She had to focus all her attention on her friend, rather then what was happening behind her. It was terrible to find all this out, she could only imagine how Ichigo felt… to lose his brother again… even she herself felt a pain at what was about to take place.

Orihime slowly came to full wakefulness. "Wha… what happened?" She asked.

"Don't move too much, you were hurt pretty badly." Rukia warned, but despite the warning Orihime sat up and prodded at her injured shoulder, with a gash that went rather deep.

"It does hurt, but… I can heal it…" Orihime told Rukia and Rukia nodded in relief. She quickly healed it and looked up at the scene before them. "Wha… what is happening now? Where's…"

"Inoue… it… Aizen… he… Kamen… he's gone."

"Gone… what… do you mean?" She was becoming extremely worried when she heard that, but looking up at the beast… she knew right away what Rukia meant. "I have to do something!"

"There's nothing that can be done. I'm sorry, but he's gone."

"No! He's still there I know it. I can feel it!"

"Inoue!" Rukia scolded as the girl quickly got up and stepped in between Ichigo and Kamen, the beast growled deeply, eyes baring into hers.

"I know you can hear me. Please… you have to let it go… you have to let go of your anger!" Orihime begged. "It's us! It's Ichigo and Orihime, please… I know you know!"

"Orihime!" Ichigo yelled, terrified for her safety as she stood before his hollowfied brother. The hollow raised his clawed hand up, but Orihime didn't move, she still stood there and his body began to shake with effort, eyes wavering.

"Please, fight! Please!" She watched his eyes and he started to breath heavily. His arm slowly started to lower.

"Kill her!" Tōsen ordered him from behind and he started to shake, he had been trained… to obey these men… how… could he fight it? "Did you hear me you dumb beast? Kill the bitch!"

Something snapped inside and he turned around suddenly, abruptly large claws catching Tōsen off guard and ripping four large slashes across his chest and stomach. He charged him and slammed into him, crushing him between the wall and another slash of claws. He grabbed Tōsen by the face and tossed him into Aizen, saving his father, right before Aizen could land a finishing blow.

"My boy… I knew you could do it." Isshin told him, panting heavily form the fighting, but smiling through the blood and sweat. After such a harsh blow, he assumed Tōsen was out for the count. "Let go now… I'll take care of Aizen. I promise you… daddy will take care of everything. You trust me?"

His body was still shaking, his heavy frame scratched up and bloody from all the fighting. He turned to find Orihime and Ichigo staring at him.

"Are you there?" Ichigo asked and his brother grumbled deep in his chest. Ichigo wondered if that was a response or just a sound.

He slowly stepped up closer to them and he reached out a hand, palm open and fingers outstretched, Orihime reached up and pressed her palm to his and he watched in mixture of curiosity and anxiety, before stepping forward and gathering her into his arms. Even though he was in such a terrifying bestial form… she wasn't afraid. He growled lowly again, tail swishing slightly.

Carefully she set her hands against his belly and pushed away only slightly to look up at his masked covered face. His eyes made her heart ache, because there was so much pain and fear in them. She had never seen him afraid… and if she were honest… it scared her a little. He raised a clawed hand up to gently touch her cheek, taking care not to cut her.

In the background of this Aizen dropped to a knee and held his bleeding arm. "I will not die alone…" The man stated darkly as he spat blood at Isshin's feet and before Isshin could make a move… it was too late.

"Kamen!" Ichigo yelled, but before he could move to do anything… a blade was though his brother's chest. His white hollow skin was covered with blood and normally he would be up and fighting again, but the injection Urahara had made… stopped it.

Tōsen twisted the blade. "I gave you an order… if you cannot fulfill orders… you are useless." Aizen cackled in the background as the hollow feel to his knees. Tōsen raised his blade to finish the hollow, but before even Orihime or Ichigo could stop him, a blade clashed with his own. "Gin! What are you… doing!?"

When the mortally wounded hollow turned he found Gin behind him. He growled low in his chest, but this man… his memories showed he had been someone, the only one… who was kind to him… even if he worked for Aizen.

"I am afraid… all this was just to gain your trust so I could destroy Aizen for what he did, but… it looks…" Gin stated, before he glanced at Isshin finishing off Aizen. "that I don't have to worry about it."

Tōsen made to attack him, but Gin quickly turned his blade and ran Tōsen through, this time Tōsen could stand no more… and dropped into a heap on the ground. Though his mask… Kamen slowly looked around, seeing that the fight had been won and his family was safe… his eyes slowly began to close and he hit the ground.

He didn't hear the cries for his name as he faded into nothingness.

XxXxX

Ichigo held his brother's hand in between both of his, tears stinging at his eyes. Everyone was standing around them, he couldn't tell if who was crying harder, him, Inoue or his parents. "Please... please... please... please wake up..." He sobbed. "Kamen, please. Will you please wake up? Please?"

XxXxX

It had been almost a year since the battle with Aizen, Ichigo himself had been awarded a seat as a captain in Tōsen's place by the captain-commander as a reward for his good work. Rukia and Orihime were offered seats, Rukia accepted, while Orihime declined, saying she had a place she would rather be.

Ichigo stood alone, it was around midnight and the window made the sakura petals dance, blowing around his captain's Haori.

"I miss him too." A voice said from behind him and he didn't have to turn to know it was Orihime that stood there.

"I just wish… I could have said goodbye, but… well…" Ichigo attempted to smile. "you know how he always was about sappy goodbyes. He'd be upset right now if he knew we were crying you know…"

"I know…" She whispered. "How's your son?"

"He's good. The kid is pretty active though." He replied, the thought of his son and wife distracted him a bit from his thoughts. Finally he sat down on the bench under the tree and patted the spot besides him, she sat down and remained silent. "You're wearing the butterfly kimono? Kamen always loved butterflies… I could never figure out why." He informed, rubbing the back of his head in thought.

She blushed a bit at the thought and memory. It was something between the two of them, a moment they shared together at sunset when he saw his first ever butterfly… it was their moment… and she honestly didn't feel like sharing that with Ichigo. He would just have to keep guessing. It made her smile a bit… that it was a secrete only they knew.

"I think… he would laugh at us… for being so sad without him."

Ichigo nodded at her words. "I imagine he'd be teasing us for it."

"Yes. He would." She said softly.

"Well…" He whispered. "I… should go… Rukia is waiting at home with our boy. I'm sure she's getting antsy with me being out so late."

"I think I'll stay… just for awhile longer." Orihime replied, he paused and stretched.

"You're really going to sit out here, huh? He would laugh at us for being this way and missing him so much… I can't help, but feel silly over the whole thing." Ichigo said.

"I know what you mean."

"Good night, Orihime. Don't stay up too late."

"I won't. goodnight, Ichigo." She said and watched him depart. She sat in silence and enjoyed the quiet night. It was one of those perfect nights, only slightly chilly with the breeze, the sky full of stars and a full moon all creating a brilliant painting. She was so lost in thought she barely heard the footsteps behind her, before she felt the gentle caress of lips along her cheek.

She couldn't stop the gasp from escaping, she would have fallen if not for steady hands catching her, without a doubt she felt that warm comforting reiatsu of the fifth's captain. Kamen Kurosaki.

"Did ya' miss me too much, lil hime?" He asked with a grin and was shocked when she pressed her lips against his. "Mmm. If this is how yer gonna greet me whenever I go to the human world for a few weeks then I might leave more often."

He enveloped her in a hug as she tightened her grip on his Haori and pulled him as close as she could get him. He had only been gone for four weeks and yet she missed him so badly.

"How did it go? Is everything okay? I was so worried." She asked in a flurry and he raised an eyebrow, before cracking another grin.

"Of course, everything was fine. Just those damn hollows were so had to track down and Urahara's inventions don't help for sh-" He was cute off when she kissed him again. "Hime… you keep doing that and there's gonna be no stopping."

"I'm sorry, it's just that I really did miss you." She told him in a whisper as he lowered his face towards hers to inspect her.

"Hmm. You did. You weren't crying or anything were ya'?" Kamen asked, eyeing her suspiciously, but she shook her head.

"Ichigo, missed you an awful lot too."

"Tch. He'll survive." He sighed, ever since he almost died that day, Ichigo was always fussing over him and it irritated him. Luckily Inoue had used her abilities to somehow bring him back and store his beast away. He shrugged off the past, he didn't want to think about it. Instead he stared at her outfit. "So… you've been waiting for me, huh?"

"Ichigo and I have been waiting every night for you to come back." Orihime informed and he raised an eyebrow again, toying with the collar of her kimono and she flushed a bit. He couldn't stop himself from leaning down and kissing her when she blushed like that.

If gave him what he needed to go through with this, he kneeled in front of her and swallowed hard, taking her hand in his.

"Hime…" He began slowly. "This is very important… so stay with me here… don't veer off into a daydream… I spoke with your brother beforehand… he gave me his blessing… so… that being said… Inoue Orihime… will you marry me?"

"I-I-I… of course!" She stated, shocked and excited and embarrassed all at once and he thought it was an adorable combination as he embraced her. He reached behind him for the blanket he brought with a spread it out on the ground underneath the sakura tree.

"After you." He said and helped her to sit, before sitting himself and leaning against the tree, where she curled up into his side. "Well… Mrs. Kurosaki… shall we enjoy the rest of the night relaxing?"

"Yes, that would be nice." She whispered, still blushing a bit at his words. He would never stop thinking it was cute. He sighed and closed his eyes. Oh, how would he break it to his parents?

In his head before he drifted off to sleep with Orihime napping on his chest, he faintly swore he heard his father "Masaki! We have another daughter!" he smiled in his sleep. He never dreamed that the life of a hollow could turn out so sweet.

XxXxX

End

Oh, come now, you didn't think I'd kill him did you? Of course I wouldn't, but raise of hands for who thought I did. You know I had ya' big time. You know I did. And the reason Orihime didn't take a captians seat is because she wanted to stand as Kamen's lieutenant and keep the trouble making boy outta trouble. *ponders those two in an office aruging over paper work* Thanks for reading, leave a review and God Bless.


	9. Omake: The Tail

Disclaimer: I do not own this show.

A/N Boom. The story comes to a close with an omake. I have finally finished this, thanks to my very best sis. Therefore I would like to dedicate this to her.

XxXxX

"Ichigo!" The door slammed open and Kamen stood there bewildered.

"Kamen!" Ichigo shouted back, and soon the two were standing toe to toe. "Kaien is asleep so shut the hell up!"

"My son has a tail!" There was an awkward silence.

"Well what the hell do you want me to do about it?" At Ichigo's words Kamen raised a hand to speak, but then snapped his mouth shut and dropped it. "Go talk to Unohana, before you wake up my son! You know how hard it is to get him to sleep."

"Fine!"

It was a raging storm when the captain of the fith devison stormed into the room, completely unhinged.

"Unohana! He has a tail!" Kamen shouted.

"Yes." Unahana replied calmly. "I am aware of that Kurosaki-taichou."

"He has a tail!"

"And?"

"And my son has a tail!"

"What would you like me to do about it?" Unahana asked in that tone of voice that made him freeze and other captains sudder in fear.

"Uhm... well..." Kamen sweatdropped. "I was just wondering... what to do... is he... going to be alright...?"

"Of course he'll be alright. It's a minor thing and he may grow out of it." She replied. "I don't know much about hollow offspring, but from what I can tell he is a perfectly healthy baby boy and you have nothing to worry about."

"Right. I... suppose you're right, but Ichigo's son doesn't have a tail."

"Ichigo-san isn't a hollow." She smiled and set a hand on his shoulder. "Kamen-san, you are a wonderful father and husband and you have nothing to fear. Your family is perfectly healthy."

He sighed in relief when he heard her assureance. "Thank you."

After the conversation he headed home in a hurry, where he found his wife and baby sleeping. He quietly climbed into bed with them and looked at their son sleeping in between them.

He laid his head down on his pillow and closed his eyes, before something black and fuzzy flicked him in the face and he opened his eyes to find his giggling baby boy torturing him again by hitting him with his tail.

The boy could be mistaken for human, if not for his white hair, his eyes and that devilish black tail.

"My son... has a tail." He whined and his son giggled again while swishing the tail around. "Yer gonna be the death of me, ya' know that? Just don't wake your mother."

The baby grinned as if saying that he knew exactly what his father was talking about and he rolled his eyes. His son sure was one big ball of trouble, but he loved his family none-the-less.

XxXxX

The end

Thanks for reading, leave a review and God Bless.


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